


The Next Chapter

by wheniamqueenx



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-13
Updated: 2016-12-13
Packaged: 2018-09-08 10:28:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8841067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wheniamqueenx/pseuds/wheniamqueenx
Summary: 'Dan is standing on a doorstep just outside of Manchester, it is the twenty first of December and he isn’t supposed to be here. He should be with Phil who has probably has not yet removed himself from the sofa, pyjama pants still softly clinging to his hips.'or Dan goes to visit Phil's mum, alone.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is a complete work of fiction.

Dan is standing on a doorstep just outside of Manchester, it is the 21st of December and he isn’t supposed to be here. He should be with Phil who has probably has not yet removed himself from the sofa, pyjama pants still softly clinging to his hips. Dan wonders, if the timer has started on the heating yet, or if Phil has a blanket wrapped around himself, feet tucked under his thighs. Dan digs his fingers deeper into the warmth of his pocket, and tries to not think too much about Phil’s disappointed pout, when he said: ‘oh, I thought you were leaving tomorrow.’

Dan was never one for traditions that weren’t of his own creation or should he say, his and Phil’s creation – as it often was. But Christmas is a time to observe traditions, and Phil loves christmas, the thought makes him feel just that bit warmer, and less nervous, as he sees the silhouette of Phil’s mum approaching the door.

“Dan,” she grins warmly, though her eyes are skeptical .

It is not that Dan didn’t call in advance to say he was coming, but he didn’t explain why he was coming - simply that we would be visiting without Phil. She probably has loads to prepare for Christmas still, and Dan feels very young again, as though he were eighteen and meeting her for the first time before he knew how much she would grow to love him. 

“Hi,” he responds, sheepishly

“Well come in then, silly,” she says as she drags him into the roaring heat of the Lester household.

“Everyone is out,” she explains, instantly going to busy herself with tea in the kitchen. 

Dan takes his coat and scarf off, hanging them on a hook by the door. Once in the front room, he perches slightly on the sofa. The seconds seem to drag on, his eye catches on Phil’s graduation picture on the mantel piece - he smiles to himself. Eventually she shuffles back in, with a tray, two mince pies, mugs and all the other accompaniments to make tea. 

“Sorry for putting you out,” he says as she places the tray on the coffee table, coming to sit next to him. 

“How is you visiting me at my own house putting me out, Dan?” But he knows she is not expecting an answer. 

She indulges him in small talk for a bit, until he’s finished his mince pie, and his shoulders are no longer somewhere near his ears.

“So what’s got you all worked up then? What’s Phil done now?” She asks, placing her cup down, and fully regarding him.

“Oh, nothing. He’s fine. I left him eating cereal and watching Anime,” he’s rambling.

“Okay,” She says, laced with anticipation. 

Dan takes a deep breath.

‘“I know it’s silly, and technically it is meant to be the father and all. I mean, also Phil is meant to be a girl – so that’s – neither here nor there –“

“Daniel,” she interrupts.

“I want to ask you for your permission to marry Phil,” he pauses, “I mean to ask him to marry me, he might not accept of course.”

Suddenly Dan is being pulled into a hug - the acrylic of her jumper pressing against his cheek.

“Jesus Dan,” she says, pulling away to hold his face in between her hands. “You little bastard, you had me so scared.”

Dan huffs out a laugh, all of his breath leaving his body in a long stream.

“Well ditto,” he adds.

“Really? You were scared to ask me? Phil loves you so much why would I say no?” Shock is evident in her tone. 

“You and me haven’t always seen eye to eye. I know you warned Phil against getting involved with me way back,” Dan responds, but not with any bitterness.

“Well you were so young Dan. It was all so quick and intense back then, and you seemed confused and to be honest, flaky. I was happy to be proved wrong though.”

“Mmm well, two thousand and twelve was not exactly a bed of roses?” He winces, even as the words leave his mouth.

She shrugs, seeming to turn over the events in her head.

“I don’t think a break up is flakey, Dan. That’s just life,” she says, as if she could wipe the slate clean, expunging Dan’s rotten feelings of guilt, that Phil sometimes has to kiss away when Dan has a bad dream about cold stares, and a firmly shut door he couldn’t bring himself to knock on.

“Just didn’t think marriage was your bag? Phil said you guys discussed it but it was a non starter - mainly from you.”

Dan doesn’t take this as a criticism, it is a fact, Phil’s mum deals in facts.

“I know. Must have gotten soft in my old age,” he pauses, gathering his thoughts, “I just feel like this is the start of the next metaphorical chapter, and turns out, I’m more in love than ever. I don’t want to hide that.”

She smiles softly, rubbing her hand down his shoulder - before practically jumping out of her seat and giving Dan a start. 

“Come upstairs. I want to show you something. You’ll like it, you softie,” She winks, and Dan laughs before following her up the carpeted stars. 

They reach Phil’s bedroom, which is technically more of a guest room, but still isn’t completely stripped of Phil’s personality, it’s clean and ordered though, a few boxes in the corner. Childhood bedroom’s are always a strange quandary, but Dan will never not feel flushed looking at this bed, whether in person, or on a screen - will always hear the rushing thudding of his heart in his own ears. He clears his throat, as if squishing the thought and refocusing.

“What is it then?”’ He asks, casually. 

Phil’s mum opens the top of one of the boxes.

“I meant to ask Phil to look through this box when he comes home tomorrow and see if he fancies keeping any of it. Or if it could just go to charity, you know? I didn’t mean to be nosy but –”

Dan moves further into the room to peer over her shoulder. She is looking down at a beaten up shoebox, tape clinging to the dog eared split corners, on the front of the box in sharpie the letter ‘D’ is scrawled, following by a heart and a exclamation point.

“I figured there were no other Ds in his life important enough to warrant a shoebox.”

Dan really does titter at that because there are extensive online archives of interactions, messages and screenshots – but nothing feels more special than that falling apart piece of cardboard in Phil’s mum’s hand. Phil’s mum is right, Dan must have been pretty special to warrant a shoebox, from a boy who spent so long on the internet.

“I didn’t open it. I mean I don’t need to know everything,” she evens him with a knowing lool. 

Dan doesn’t know what to say so just takes the box from her.

‘I’ll leave you to it,” she says, lightly shutting the door behind her, Dan stands for a while, as he listens to her disappear down the stairs. 

Dan sits himself down on the bed, placing the box beside him and carefully removing the crumbling lid. When he looks inside Dan covers his mouth abruptly, as a shocked laughed threatens to spill out.The first thing his eye lands on is a condom packet, he turns it over, and just about can make out the expiry date, it’s ripped open and there is only one, so he can only assume ridiculously enough it is the one from their first time. Well at least their first time of, well - moving on.

Next is a coaster, it’s from the Sky Bar in Manchester, he brings it to his nose and sniffs - predictably it smells of stale alcohol but in his mind Dan can taste the margaritas, as his fingers run over the rough surface. He can’t believe Phil never told him about this box, he has no way of knowing when he started it, or if he just started collecting things as a reflex, and later stored them. He keeps digging through, finds a plethora of faded orange train tickets, disposable photographs – there does not seem to be anything past two thousand eleven – so every photo they look extremely young, Dan still uncertain of his own body – but also still hasn’t learned to hide how in love with Phil he is.

“No chill, at all,” he mutters to himself, amused.

He closes the box up, vaguely noticing some other items – such a an old dried up sharpie and a movie ticket stub, then he closes it up and tucks it under his arm, as he goes back downstairs to find Phil’s mum.

Just as Dan is leaving to get the train to Reading, the box safely within an reusable grocery bag, along with more mince pies in a Tupperware box she insisted on him having for the journey – he asks one more question.

“Do you think you could find out Phil’s ring size? I know, it’s a bit mad.”

“Mad? Dan I’m all about mad. Who do you take me for? I’ll have the information with you as soon as possible.”

Dan just laughs, then hugs her, “thank you.”

On the train home he can’t help but text Phil: ‘you are mad phil lester but I love u. see u soon xxx’

It’s the twenty eighth of December, and the flat is still cold. Dan is glances at the time, he already put the heating on thirty minutes ago and prays it warms up in time for Phil’s arrival. He goes through a mental checklist in his head, whilst hurriedly lighting candles, champagne is in the fridge, flutes are on the table, fairy lights round the mirror - just so the room can look even more obnoxiously christmassy - and present is on the table beautifully wrapped in gold paper with a velvet blue bow, if he may say so himself. 

Dan stops and stands in the centre of the room for a time check – ten minutes till Phil gets back if all goes to plan. He lifts his hand up to run through his hair, only to find it shaking, then remembers: fuck, the ring. He runs to and back from his room as if life depended on it, flailing for a moment and looking around, before putting the small box under the tree behind a tin of biscuits they got from their neighbours.

More time must have passed than Dan thought, because suddenly he hears: “‘hey, I’m home,” followed by feet pounding up the stairs. 

Dan has a little pep talk in the mirror, ‘calm the fuck down or it won’t even be a surprise, surprises are romantic okay?’ He pointlessly pats at his hair and pulls at his jumper as if he were about to be inspected in a school assembly for his uniform conduct - this is how phil finds him.

“Dan?” Phil’s’ voice is soft, and behind him.

Dan turns then just sort of lunges himself at Phil, who is still awkwardly clutching his bags.

Dan realises this, “uh sorry, just missed you is all.”

Phil laughs, and places down the bags on the sofa.

“I missed you too,” he says, pecking him on the lips. 

Phil’s nose is still slightly cold from outside and his cheeks pink and it is way too tempting to make the kiss more amorous, but Dan resists, plenty of time for that, unless Phil gets so freaked out he leaves forever – shut up brain.

Phil is looking at him quizzically, as if he can see the cogs whirring in his head. Phil goes to open his mouth, so Dan interrupts before he can.

“Sit down,” he says smirking, and gesturing towards the table with a flourish.

“I’ll be right back,” he says, flying out of the room.

He hears the faded sound of “…okay,” as he rushes to the kitchen, and grabs the bottle of champagne, branding it with triumph. 

When he comes back into the room, he finds Phil with his coat off sitting patiently, he turns to smile at Dan, his eyes bright. 

“The room looks lovely Dan,” he says as Dan walks over to sit next to him, angled towards him so their knees can touch - he places the bottle of champagne on the table.

“This is slightly more lavish than usual. What have I done to deserve all this?” Phil continues, body turned towards Dan, gesturing at the room and table.

“I just think, we really have something to celebrate this year. We haven’t had proper time to congratulate ourselves on how fucking amazing this year has been,” he says truthfully. 

“It has been, hasn’t it?” Phil says beaming, tilting his head as he looks at Dan. 

“Anyway,” Dan says, suddenly alert, and not wanting to get derailed. 

Phil starts slightly, but if he thinks Dan is acting on edge he doesn’t mention it.

“Open your present,” Dan adds.

With a lot more care than usual, Phil slowly rips the paper till he’s revealed a black leather photo album, with the dates 2009-2011 embossed in gold on the front. He looks at Dan, quirking an eyebrow, clearly confused, slowly he opens it. The first page is full of train tickets, roughly in a chronological order.

“What? Dan? Where did you even get these?”

Dan is grinning and leaning over him.

“Your mum.”

Phil frowns.

“Like actually your mum, I went to visit?” he says, the pitch raising slightly at the end.

Phil turns to the next page, more train tickets, some movie stubs now too. He audibly gasps in recognition.

“My box… I thought I’d - Dan – what have you-” he’s visibly welling up a bit already, which surprises Dan.

“Awww, Phil,” Dan coos, wrapping his arm around his shoulders. “Such a softy you were, although I did decide not include the condom packet – don’t worry your mum didn’t see. You creeper,” his voice is full of warmth.

“I don’t know what to say Dan – You went to see my mum? Alone?”

“Shh. Just keep going.” 

The next page has the coaster from the Sky Bar, Phil takes it out of the plastic, running his fingers over it much like Dan had. Then it’s onto disposable camera pictures, other miscellaneous oddities from their first flush of romance, Phil keeping quiet throughout, laughing at the odd thing. Dan waits patiently, his arm around Phil’s shoulders - glad Phil can’t see his knee jigging up and down.

Finally he reaches the last page, and it’s a block of text, and quickly Dan jumps up to grab the small box from under the tree whilst Phil is engrossed.

 

‘Phillip Michael Lester,

I probably won’t have the words tonight, and you know how I like to script and prepare things. So hopefully this will serve instead:

The last two years have been some of the best of my life. For a lot of reasons, including you. I thought it was important to remind you though, that we haven’t always been this cool and glamorous, but hey? Guess what we loved each other anyway, even when you felt far away and unreachable to me – I was still in love with you, and being heart broken and in your life, was still better than my life before 2009 without you. The point is even if this all went away tomorrow, and we lost everything, I think I’d be okay as long as I still had you by my side.

2009 - 2011 was falling in love for the first time in my life, not believing someone like you could exist, and that you actually loved me back. I was terrified the whole time, I just was, even lying in bed next to you when you were asleep – you were terrifying. I don’t think you fully realized that. I guess that’s why I ran away for a bit in 2012. I’ve learnt to turn the terror into excitement, I’ve learnt that anything that scares me is a good thing inevitably. And to be charged at with the upmost speed and force. These last few years I’ve fallen even harder in love with you, and that is scary, but it’s also exciting – because who knew? So I think it’s time to start a new chapter.

What do you think?

XXX

Daniel James Howell’

 

Phil looks up, dabbing furiously at his eyes, “you little shit,” he says, voice croaky. 

Then Dan clears his throat, Phil follows the sound to the side, and slightly down.

“Phil Lester, will you-” Dan’s own throat catches, voice breaking, “marry me?”

Dan, like the secret romantic he is, is down on one knee with a open ring box in his hand. 

“D-dan. You-” then swallows and tries again, “yes, of course. Yes.”

Dan lets out a long breath, shoulders sagging. With a shaking hand he takes out the ring and Phil presents his hand, letting Dan slide it on. 

“When did you even-” he frowns slightly, then forgets himself.

“How long have you-”

“Uh I don’t know maybe like the whole of TATINOF in the back of my mind? It wasn’t a plan or anything though. Just I’d see your eyes light up chasing a fucking kangaroo or something. Or standing on a hotel balcony in Sydney, and just think ‘I want to marry this man. And –”

Phil seizes forward, grabbing Dan’s face and kissing him hard, then soft, again and again – till they have to part for breath.

“I love you so much,” he whispers, low against Dan’s lip as it is something Dan doesn’t know – Dan smiles, his lip curling with it – cheeks hurting.

Later in bed, Dan will run his fingers in between Phil’s and say: “you actually said yes.”

Phil laughs, “yeah and now everyone’s going to know just how whipped you truly are.”

Dan laughs, then shrugs, kissing Phil again - thinking, how he really doesn’t care at all.

**Author's Note:**

> Some of the canon of this is iffy I now realise - i.e. Phil's parents living in Isle of Man. Hope it doesn't distract too much, only really just got into this fandom!
> 
> Feel free to come chat to me on tumblr: [beczor](http://beczor.tumblr.com/)


End file.
